Sights to Behold at Concours of Elegance

I walked the quarter mile from the gates, through the courtyards and passages of Hampton Court Palace to reach the The Great Fountain Garden at the back and was met by truly a sight to behold: The five Jaguar D-Types that finished 1-2-3-4-6 at the 1957 Le Mans 24 Hours race, all lined up, just like that.

Navigating the garden’s many aisles, many a car caught my eye, some for their unlikely presence and some for their sheer je ne sais quoi. The Concours of Elegance has in its short history established itself as one of the big players in its field, and there was certainly no shortage of significant cars. I’m sure some of these will ring familiar: Bugatti Type 57C Atalante, Duesenberg J, Rolls-Royce Phantom I, Ferrari 250 MM, Fiat 8V Supersonic, Maserati A6G 2000, Lamborghini Countach and McLaren F1 GTR.

Speaking of the McLaren F1 GTR, the “Harrod’s” #06R chassis was on display, flanked by a similarly liveried McLaren P1 GTR and a lovely Silk Cut Jaguar XJR-8 from 1987, together making up a stunning trio of recent British racing history.

Suitably placed on a smooth lawn, I came across a selection of modern supercars, mainly Italian. A Lamborghini Countach LP5000 QV spearheaded a Pagani Zonda F Roadster and a Ferrari Enzo, while a Pagani Huayra and a Jaguar C-X75 formed the outskirts. However, what really made my day, was the Gulf liveried bus parked behind them!